Surfers from France gather on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

They held their flags high with pride, carrying with them with containers of sand from around the world.

The Vissla ISA World Junior Surfing Championships kicked off on Saturday on the south side of the Huntington Beach pier.

The surfing team from Uruguay make their way across Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A team member from Nicaragua pours sand from their home country into a container during the Sands of the World Ceremony to be with sand from the 44 countries from around the world that are competing in the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

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The surfing team from Poland stands with sand from their local beach on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer from Australia makes his way along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfers from France gather on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfer from Australia shows off his colors on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surf team from Argentina makes their way along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surf team from Australia, right, and others make their way along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfing teams from a total of 44 countries from around the world make their way along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, during the Parade of Nations as surfers gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfing teams from a total of 44 countries from around the world make their way across Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, during the Parade of Nations as surfers gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team from France chants as they arrive at the Huntington Beach Pier as a total of 44 countries from around the world gather on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, during the Parade of Nations and for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team from Canada gathers for a group photo on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team from Mexico gathers for a group photo on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team member from Norway stands on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfing teams from a total of 44 countries from around the world make their way along Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, during the Parade of Nations as surfers gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team from Mexico makes their way across Pacific Coast Highway in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, as surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world gather for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games and the Parade of Nations along Main Street in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A team member from the United States pours sand from Huntington Beach into a container during the Sands of the World Ceremony to be with sand from the 44 countries from around the world that are competing in the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Sands of the World in a container from the 44 countries from around the world that are competing in the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A surfing team member from Russia has a photo taken on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfing team members from Brazil have their photo taken on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

Surfing team members from Israel have their photo taken on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A team member from Costa Rica pours sand from their home country into a container during the Sands of the World Ceremony to be with sand from the 44 countries from around the world that are competing in the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team member from Switzerland holds sand from her home country as she stands on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The surfing team member from Germany stands on Main Street in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018, just prior to the start of the Parade of Nations along Main Street along with surfers from a total of 44 countries from around the world as they prepare for the start of the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

A team member from Spain pours sand from their home country into a container during the Sands of the World Ceremony to be with sand from the 44 countries from around the world that are competing in the 2018 VISSLA ISA World Surfing Games in Huntington Beach on Saturday morning, October 27, 2018. (Photo by Mark Rightmire, Orange County Register/SCNG)

The week-long event has brought more than 350 surfers from 44 nations to compete.

Surfers marched down Main Street, toward the beach, carrying their country flags during the Parade of Nations.

Sands brought from various beaches around the world were layered on top of one another during a ceremony on the beach, signifying coming together for one common love: the sport of surfing.

As surfing gets set to make its Olympic Games debut in 2020, this competition will preview the format of that future event with athletes not only vying for individual medals, but also representing countries.

Team USA hopes to repeat their gold medal win from last year’s contest in Japan. The team also earned gold in 2015 when the event was held in Oceanside.

There’s plenty of talent to watch out for through the week, including San Clemente surfers Cole Houshmand, Taj Lindblad, Kade Matson, Jett Schilling for the boys, and Kirra Pinkerton, Samantha Sibley and Sawyer Lindblad for the girls.

Others on team USA include Taro Watanabe from Malibu, Levi Slawson from Encinitas, Alyssa Spencer from La Jolla, Makena Burke from Ventura, and Caitlin Simmers from Oceanside.

Surf looks promising during the first half of the event, with waves in the 3-to-5-foot range expected, before the swell drops to 2 to 3 feet for the final days of the contest.

The remainder of the event runs from Oct. 28 through Nov. 4. More information is available at isasurf.org.

Laylan Connelly started as a journalist in 2002 after earning a degree in journalism from the University of Southern California. Through the years, she has covered several cities for The Orange County Register, starting as a beat reporter in Irvine before focusing on coastal cities such as Newport Beach, Dana Point and Laguna Beach. In 2007, she was selected for a prestigious Knight New Media fellowship focusing on digital media at UC Berkeley, where she learned skills to adapt to the ever-changing online landscape. Using a web-based approach, she turned her love for the ocean into a full-time gig as the paper’s beaches reporter. The unique beat allows her to delve into coastal culture by covering everything from the countless events dotting the 42 miles of coastline, to the business climate of the surf industry, to the fascinating wildlife that shows up on the shores. Most importantly, she takes pride in telling stories of the people who make the beaches so special, whether they are surfers using the ocean to heal, or the founders of major surf brands who helped spawn an entire culture, or people who tirelessly fight to keep the coast pristine and open for all to enjoy. She’s a world traveler who loves to explore the slopes during winter months or exotic surf spots around the globe. When she’s not working, or maybe while she's researching a story, you can find her longboarding at her favorite surf spots at San Onofre or Doheny.